Head to Head: Pele vs Rooney

• Rooney was born in working class Croxteth area of Liverpool

DEBUT

• Pele’s club debut for Santos at age 16, international debut at 17

• Rooney’s for Everton at 16, for England at 17

BUILD

• Both are short, muscular, tough, pacy

STYLE OF PLAY

• Pele did not just score goals, he made them and could tackle too

• Rooney has a tremendous burst of speed and is also immensely powerful for his youth

SPEED OF THOUGHT

• Pele’s shot from the halfway line against Czechoslovakia in the 1970 World Cup finals and his famous dummy against the Uruguay goalkeeper narrowly failed to produce goals but they live on for the sheer audaciousness of their execution

• England’s equaliser against Croatia was because of Rooney’s quick thinking. Getting the ball in a crowded penalty area, he worked out instantly how to make the best of the situation and set up Paul Scholes for his goal

STUNNING GOAL

• Pele’s against Sweden in 1958 World Cup final: with his back to goal, he caught the ball on his thigh, hooked it over, swivelled and shot in

• Rooney’s against Croatia, a screamer from 30 yards out